Hotel alarm signal



June 29, 1937. G. C. WAGNER 2,085,617

HOTEL ALARM SIGNAL Filed Aug. 24, 1936 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 flea/ye67/49/261 INVENTOR ATTORNEYS June 29, 1937. c, WAGNER 2,085,617

HOTEL ALARM SIGNAL FilBd Aug. 24, 1936 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Ill W/ge 728/VENTOR ATTORNEYS Patented June 29, 1937 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFIQE 1Claim.

This invention relates to hotel alarm signals and has for an object toprovide a master clock for controlling alarm signal circuits and alarmdevices therein, means being provided for energizing a plurality of thealarm devices in a corresponding number of rooms in the hotel, or otherbuilding, at a predetermined time.

A further object is to provide a device of this character having novelplug-in connections for the signal circuits.

A further object is to provide a device of this character which will beformed of a few strong simple and durable parts, which will beinexpensive to manufacture, and which will not easily get out of order.

With the above and other objects in View the invention consists ofcertain novel details of construction and combinations of partshereinafter fully described and claimed, it being understood thatvarious modifications may be resorted to within the scope of theappended claim without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any ofthe advantages of the invention.

In the accompanying drawings forming part of this specification,

Figure 1 is a diagrammatic view showing the time controlled alarmcircuits and alarm devices constructed in accordance with the invention.

Figure 2 is a cross sectional view through the clock dial and showingthe switch contacts thereof.

Figure 3 is a detail cross sectional view taken on the line 33 of Figure2.

Figure 4 is a perspective view showing the hour hand switch contact.

Figure 5 is a detail sectional view taken on the line 55 of Figure 2.

Figure 6 is a plan View, partly in section, showing the rod withmultiple contact prongs thereon for simultaneously connecting a numberof the alarm circuits to a single contact prong on the clock.

Referring now to the drawings in which like characters of referencedesignate similar parts in the various views, l0 designates an electricclock having the dial 1 I thereof preferably formed of insulatingmaterial. An annular series of switch contacts l2 are disposed in thedial concentric with the arbor l3 of the hour hand I4, there being anydesired number of these contacts located in each hour time interval, thepresent embodiment showing five although 10 or any other number may beused.

An annular series of contact prongs [5 are disposed to project radiallyfrom the clock casing, which likewise may be formed of insulatingmaterial, so that the prongs, like the contacts [2, are insulated fromeach other. The prongs are equal in number to the number of switchcontacts and each prong is connected to an associated contact by aconductor wire l6.

A step down transformer I! is supplied with current from the cord I8 ofthe clock by conductor wires 9 and has one pole electrically connectedby a conductor wire ill to the hour hand arbor 53. Preferably there isan annular boss 2! formed on the dial and the boss is provided on oneside with an integral tube 22 which receives a plunger 23 that isyieldably held against the arbor l3 by means of a spring 24 which isconfined under tension in the tube between the plunger and a metal plug25 disposed in the end of the tube and connected to the conductor wireH9.

The hour hand is provided preferably with a copper coated corrugatedswitch contact 26 which is disposed at a right angle to the median lineof the hour hand and is adapted to wipe over the stationary switchcontacts l2 and close respective signal circuits at the stationarycontacts.

The other terminal of the transformer is connected by a conductor wire21 to one pole of each of a large number of alarm devices such aselectric bells 28, disposed in the various rooms of the hotel or otherbuilding. A conductor wire 29 is connected to the other pole of eachbell and terminates in a socket portion 30 of a plug and socketconnector having a substantially square bore to receive a selected oneof the similarly shaped contact prongs Hi.

The cord l8 of the clock is as usual equipped with a pronged capconnector 3| which may be plugged into a receptacle or outlet 32 of theservice line 33.

In operation, should it be desired to awake the occupant of a particularroom at the hour of 7:30 for example, the socket portion 36 of thecorresponding alarm bell 28 will be inserted on the radial contact prongl5 which is connected to the stationary switch contact [2 at the '7 :30location on the dial. When the hour hand arrives at said stationarycontact the movable contact 26 will close the alarm circuit from thetransformer through the wire 21, bell 28, wire 29, socket portion 30,contact prong l5, stationary switch contact I 2, movable switch contact26, hour hand arbor l3, plunger 23, and wire l9 to the transformerwhereby the bell is energized and maintained energized until the movableswitch contact 26 passes off of the stationary switch contact l2.

When more than one plug is to be engaged with a single contact prong anauxiliary contact is used which, as best shown in Figure 6, comprises arod 34 adapted to be engaged with the prong I5 and provided with prongs35 extending transversely and longitudinally therefrom and beingsubstantially rectangular in cross section to receive a plurality of thesocket portion 30 of a plug and socket connector, as best shown inFigure 1. It will thus be apparent that a plurality of signal circuitsmay be connected to a single prong and that when the alarm circuit isclosed from the corresponding stationary switch contact to the prong,all of the alarm bells 28 which have been plugged into the prongs on therod 34 will be simultaneously energized.

From the above description it is thought that the construction andoperation of the invention will be fully understood without furtherexplanation.

What is claimed is:

The combination with a plurality of electric signal devices, of a timecontrolled switch means including a plurality of switch contact prongsdisposed radially about a common center, multiple connectors forsimultaneously connecting a group of the alarm devices with apredetermined prong including a rod adapted to engage the selectedprong, and a plurality of contact prongs extending radially andlongitudinally respectively from the rod and adapted to receive socketmembers of plug and socket connectors associated with said group ofsignal devices.

GEORGE C. WAGNER.

